;doc: officially deprecate secondary dates and --date2

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Simon Michael 2024-06-01 08:46:04 -10:00
parent 6fd856aa47
commit 6376f459f5

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@ -2731,18 +2731,19 @@ A missing Y directive makes reports dependent on today's date.
A secondary date is written after the primary date, following an A secondary date is written after the primary date, following an
equals sign. If the year is omitted, the primary date's year is equals sign. If the year is omitted, the primary date's year is
assumed. When running reports, the primary (left) date is used by assumed. When running reports, the primary (left) date is used by
default, but with the `--date2` flag (or `--aux-date` or default, but with the `--date2` flag (`--aux-date` or`--effective` also work, for Ledger users),
`--effective`), the secondary (right) date will be used instead. the secondary (right) date will be used instead.
The meaning of secondary dates is up to you, but it's best to follow a The meaning of secondary dates is up to you, but it's best to follow a
consistent rule. Eg "primary = the bank's clearing date, secondary = consistent rule. Eg "primary = the bank's clearing date, secondary =
date the transaction was initiated, if different". date the transaction was initiated, if different".
Downsides: makes your financial data more complicated, less portable, In fact this feature usually adds confusion.
and less trustworthy in an audit. Keeping the meaning of the two dates It splits your reporting into two modes, and you have to remember which mode is appropriate for a given report.
consistent requires discipline, and you have to remember which Usually only one mode will work with your balance assertions.
reporting mode is appropriate for a given report. It makes your financial data more complicated, less portable, and less clear in an audit.
[Posting dates](#posting-dates) are simpler and better. You should consider it deprecated in hledger,
and use [posting dates](#posting-dates) instead; they are simpler and better.
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